nerdytenor's The Missing Warlock

[nerdytenor]

To the prisoner, Karis continues Moreen's line of questioning. "Yes, where is Elloen? And who is Baradur?" She cocks her head at him, considering dispassionately. "I wonder if perhaps we should just kill him. With what Lethani told us, we should be able to figure out the rest anyway, and this one looks like he might take time to break." Addressing the prisoner again, she continues, "Yes, Lethani told us quite a lot. You didn't think we just let him go, did you? Or did he convince you he'd escaped on his own?" She smirks. "Fool."

The mage's face quickly flashes with anger. "I should have known not to trust an elf. Your lot break easier than most." He looks directly into Karis's eyes. "Cowards," he says, nearly spitting the word. "And you can save your threats of death - I am near my end, and even should blessed Baradur come here right now and smite the lot of you, I don't think he'll reward me for my failure to destroy you with his best healing magicks." He chuckles again.

He cocks his head to face Mardrick. "Know this, weakling. Your wife has left you for another. She is to wed Baradur, blessed Baradur! She must be strong indeed - stronger than you, that much is certain. But take heart - you are being replaced by someone much better - much better than you, much better for her. Isn't it wonderful?" He grins widely and sighs like a schoolgirl, then erupts into dark, growly laughter once more. It takes half the party to restrain Mardrick from charging the mage.

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek lowered his head, the mage's fanaticism. Blinded by his devotion, it was difficult to see how the group were going to get any information out of his by deception. If only we knew more about this Baradur! He thought to himself.

 

[BlueLotus]

"You waste your cleverness on your insults. You are in a very dire situation. You'd serve yourself better by thinking up ways to stop my scaly friend from doing most unpleasant things..." Moreen touches his forehead, letting her healing power renew his body. "There, we don't want you dying on us... This is your last chance, you are trying my patience. Tell us what we want to know, it's your only option."

ooc: I'm going to start rolling for Moreen now. Finally, a good roll. 1d20+9=24

 

[PennStud77]

Todarr leans forward to catch the mage's eye, waiting to speak until they are both staring eye-to-eye

If Baradur is so much better than Mardrick and is so much more powerful than us all here, then take us to him. If he is as powerful and protected as you say, then you will be rewarded by seeing the slaughter that you could not accomplish, and your failure will be transformed into the honor of our destruction as part of one of his rituals. When we are dead, you WILL be rewarded for bringing us to him for him to kill us himself.

 

[The Digger]

"Baradur, Eh! Seems I've heard that name before. Now where was it...?"

Joshua racks his brains to remember
[sblock=OOC]Religion 5+19=24: Roll Lookup [/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

Todarr leans forward to catch the mage's eye, waiting to speak until they are both staring eye-to-eye

If Baradur is so much better than Mardrick and is so much more powerful than us all here, then take us to him. If he is as powerful and protected as you say, then you will be rewarded by seeing the slaughter that you could not accomplish, and your failure will be transformed into the honor of our destruction as part of one of his rituals. When we are dead, you WILL be rewarded for bringing us to him for him to kill us himself.

"Why, how thoughtful of you!" the mage responds sarcastically. "I thought you were trying to kill me and my men. I'm absolutely delighted to discover you actually had my best interests at heart the whole time."

His gravelly voice returns. "Just because I've lost some blood doesn't mean I've lost my wits, friend. It seems you are determined to keep up your pathetic quest. My only reward is knowing you will die a most painful and, how shall I say it?" He pauses. "A painful and creative death. Ah, yes that's it. Ah, to see your parts arrayed on the Altar of Flesh..."

 

[nerdytenor]

"You waste your cleverness on your insults. You are in a very dire situation. You'd serve yourself better by thinking up ways to stop my scaly friend from doing most unpleasant things..." Moreen touches his forehead, letting her healing power renew his body. "There, we don't want you dying on us... This is your last chance, you are trying my patience. Tell us what we want to know, it's your only option."

The mage lets out a barely-perceptible sigh as Moreen's healing washes over him. His face loses some of its angry, mocking edge as his muscles relax. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't.... " His speech slows a bit. "Go then, to meet your deaths. Baradur's temple of flesh lies in a cave, at the mouth of the Prism River, near the Swamps of Sending. And..." His eyes begin to blink, and then they close. He slumps over sideways, asleep.

"Damnit, what about Elloen?" Mardrick exclaims. "Should we wake him?" he adds, his frustration clearly mounting.

"No, no," Dardus says, placing himself between Mardrick and the now-sleeping mage. "Let's put some shackles on him and let him rest." Seeing the look in Mardrick's face, he puts a hand on the man's shoulder. "Once he is somewhat recovered, I will be able to perform a more intense interrogation. Besides, I'll be needing a bit of recovery myself. Could you lot carry him?" he says, indicating the rest of the party. "We're not far from the town jail."

As the party prepares to carry the now-sleeping mage to his cell, Mardrick steps over to Karis. "What do you mean Elloen disappeared? Vanished? And this stone? May I see it? Please, I must know. What has happened to her?"


[sblock=Joshua]
Baradur is not a name you have heard, certainly not a God you have ever heard of. The name is close to the word for 'beast' in some of the older tongues. Perhaps 'beast master?' 'Beast tamer?' 'Beast destroyer?'
[/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

[sblock=OOC everyone]
Part I of the missing warlock is nearing its close. Head on over to the
OOC thread to discuss your thoughts on things so far, if you'd like to continue, etc. etc.
[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

Karis hands over the stone to Mardrick. "Sure. But Mardrick... I think Elloen... She went willingly. She wasn't blighted. You'd do better to forget her."

ooc: Karis will make sure Joshua gets a good look at the stone before Mardrick takes it.

 

[The Digger]

Before Mardrick can take the stone Joshua halts Karis's hand and gazes at the stone intently , his mind whirring as he tries to fathom out its mysteries. "Baradur...beast...stone...what's with the blood?"

[sblock=OOC]Arcana 12+10=22: Roll Lookup [/sblock]